Arroyo Valley, with a student body of 95 percent underrepresented minorities, has not only increased AP participation by 13 percent since 2011, but also boasts a 95 percent graduation rate — a remarkable increase of 18 percent in the last five years.

When the College Board announced that it was redesigning the SAT in March 2014, CEO David Coleman proclaimed, “What this country needs is not more tests, but more opportunities.” At the Southern Regional Forum, higher education and K–12 member leaders shared how they are using assessments like the SAT to further their commitment to student opportunity.

This year, the A Dream Deferred planning committee has amassed a dynamic set of speakers and presenters who will spark lively and necessary discussion of issues of race, inclusion, diversity, and college access for African American students. And if these speakers aren’t reason enough to attend this unique event, we've identified some additional motivation for your consideration.

Join the Access & Diversity Collaborative for on Wednesday, March 2, 3-4 pm ET, for a free webinar, Preparing for Fisher II on Your Campus. The webinar will provide recommendations to help institutions prepare for the U.S. Supreme Court’s second decision in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, which is expected by late June 2016 (though it may come sooner). Written materials will be available in advance of the webinar.

Orange County Public Schools has added a college transition counselor to the staff at each of their high schools. At the College Board’s Southern Regional Forum, two of these counselors, Heather Alexander and Latashia Joseph, shared how their work has helped the students and parents of Orange County and offered advice based on lessons learned.

Over three years ago, the College Board embarked on the process of redesigning the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, and PSAT 8/9. The new exams are focused on what research tells us students need to know to be ready for college and career, and they better reflect what students are learning in class. All three exams in the SAT Suite of Assessments are on the same score scale, so students and educators can easily track student progress toward readiness over time.

As of Feb. 9, 2016, more than 800,000 unique users had visited Khan Academy’s Official SAT Practice website to prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT, and about 16 million practice items had been completed — 2.5 million during the most recent exam week alone. The College Board’s Aaron Lemon-Strauss delivered this good news at the Midwestern Regional Forum, then passed the mic to two educators who’ve found innovative ways to encourage SAT practice in their own communities: Maria Salinas, site coordinator at University of Michigan-Flint’s Neff Center, and Mark Lomax, senior director of teen programming at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Columbus, Ohio (BGCC).

This winter, we’re celebrating two AP teachers who have been recognized for their commitment to their craft: Kenneth H. Keller, from George Walton Comprehensive High School in Marietta, GA, and Anthony Yom, from Lincoln High School in Los Angeles, CA.